One Last Goodbye
by Nellas Elendil
Summary: HM64 When Karen is kidnapped by the most unexpected person, Jack comes to save her... will he save her? Will he let the preditor take control? Or will death itself cloud all that ever existed...
1. Chapter 1

**This fanfic is from Harvest moon 64, but I add Hardy, the doctor, from AWL so don't get confused. Go on and read.**

As Jack walked away from his grandfathers house, he noticed a girl walking towards the farm. He didn't want to bother with her. His grandfather had past away only three weeks ago, and Jack's heart was still mending. He had been left a run-down farm, tools, and 300g. Only time would tell if he would be able to keep the farm up or fail to fulfill Grandfathers dream.

In the city, Jack had been dating one girl named Gertrude, but he figured that since he was becoming a man now, he wouldn't need a girl...yet.

"Hello. My name is Karen. I heard about your Grandfather. I'm sorry." Karen walked up to Jack sitting on the front steps of the cabin.

"Don't be sorry. I just gotta' have some time and I'll be okay. But thanks for your concern," Jack smiled. "Oh, my name is Jack." He remembered suddenly to introduce himself.

"Do you want me to show you around Flower Bud Village?" Karen offered.

Jack stood from his seat and the two of them started walking.

The first place Karen showed Jack was the vineyard. It was sort of run down. It looked as though the fires of hell had been teasing the place for a while.

"This place looks pretty shabby." Jack acknowledged.

"Yea,... this is where I live." Karen's face felt a tear slip. Jack looked over at Karen. His icy blue eyes showed compassion like no others.

"Are you okay? Did I say something?" He stood infront of her and held her shoulders. "Why are you crying?"

"It's just...forget it." She closed her eyes and turned her head."I don't want to burden you with any of my problems. Your grandfather just past and you just arrived a few days ago and I don't want to drop all of my life's issues on you."

"C'mon... don't feel bad. Tell me." Jack's voice ran clear through her heart. She felt like she could always trust and believe him. The sympathy she had recieved from him calmed her soul.

"My father and I have these arguements all the time, and he doesn't care about anything anymore... I don't know what to do because my mother tries to stop us from fussing and every time..." she paused and sat down on a nearby log. Jack sat beside her and comforted her with a smile.

"You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything. You can always trust me." Jack nodded.

Karen couldn't help but smile at Jacks unceasingly smiling face. She told him everything about her father and mother, and the way she used to be so much more happy.

For a few seconds, Karen caught herself staring undeviatingly into his soft eyes, and Jack into her dark sparkly green ones. Karen glanced away to see Kai coming from the wine cellar. Karens smooth hands left Jacks soft but strong city hands before Kai arrived.

Kai was almost stunned,"Heh. Hey Karen. Who's your friend?" Kai tried not to sound to intent on knowing but Jack knew he wasn't wanted around.

"Karen, it was nice getting to know you. I hope you can fix everything." Jack shook his head and nodded to Kai.

"Kai! how could you be so unmannerly?" Karen stood abruptly and started to go after Jack. Kai grabbed Karen's shirt and pulled her back towards him. She breathed a breath of insecurity and anger. Kai turned her around with his strong muscular arms and kissed her.

"Let me go!" she tried to get away. Kai pulled her to his shack and closed the door.

"What do you think you're doing? You can't just run around holding hands with any guy you want!" He was raged as he threw her down onto a pile of dirty rags. Karen started crying again. The pain she felt was in a spot no one could reach. It was so deep inside of her that not even happiness itself could rid her of the hurt. Kai and Karen quarrled silently for a moment. Then Karen decided to say something. "Kai... just beca--"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear another word out of you!" Kai lit a cigarette and walked around the room for a while. Then he pulled up a chair and sat beside her as he let out a puff of smoke. He puffed a few times and finally let out a deep uneasy breath to say, "I'm sorry. I don't know _what_ I was thinking." He used his black unseen eyes to convence Karen to forgive him.

"It's okay..." Karen sat up on the bed. Kai held her hand. "I still love you." Karen lied. Not only did she hate Kai for overpowering her, but for feeling a She kissed his parched lips. While leaving Kai's room when he was still smoking on the bed, Karen shut the door slowly but rushed to town on Kai's horse. The Earth's dusty ground masked her face as she yelled,"hya! hya! Gidd-up!"

Kai soon realized she was lying. He hated her for this. But instead of wasting time, he ran to find Gotz's horse and raced to find Karen before she made it to town.

Kai found Karen by the river giving her horse a drink. He slowly crept behind her kneeling body. Muffled sounds came from her mouth after Kai had covered it with his calloused hand. He gagged her and tied her hands behind her back. He also threw a sack over her body and tied yet another rope around her. Because he had two horses he threw her body over Gotz's and led it while riding his own horse.

As he came upon Gotz's house, he realized now that Shasha was home. Kai opened the door to his own shack and threw the tied body on his bed. The next thing Karen knew Kai had come from Shasha's house and Karen was untied, sitting infront of Kai on his horse.

"Don't cause a scene while we are gone honey. I wouldn't want anybody suspectin' anything." He grinned with eyes full of evil. She could see straight through him.

"Believe me... I wouldn't," Karen pulled her arms away from Kai, and gritted her teeth... Kai was taking Karen out of town. Karen gave fake smiles to the ones they passed. Afterwards, she gave Kai the worst time he could possibly have. Then she asked to either be dropped off at Jacks house or she would yell for help when anyone came around...

* * *

The first morning of Jack's field work, he went to town to pick up a few things need for planting crops. During the spring, it wasn't too hot so he hadn't learned that the heat of the summer would soon overwhelm him.

He stopped by the Flower shop to meet a very comely young lady. Popuri was very beautiful infact, in his eyes. He pondered for a moment, but quickly came to realize she had just asked him,"Excuse me, may I help you?"

He gave a strange but yet captivating smile," Yes, Uh. What about some,..eh, turnip seeds." He smiled again.

Popuri's eyes slightly widened and her mouth gave a quaint grin, as she turned to pick up the seeds behind her desk. "Here you are", she gave him the seeds. She changed her expression to curious."Are you new around here? I've never seen you before."

"Well, yea. My uh, grandfather just..."

"I'm sorry. I heard.." Popuri lowered her head along with Jack." you're taking over the farm, aren't you?" She lifted her expression.

"I hope I can do it. It's pretty hard to take over a farm that has been run down for the past five years."

"So you'll be staying? How wonderful!"

Out of a graceful guesture, Popuri gave Jack two free bags of cabbage seeds aside the turnips and wished him good luck. As Jack walked out of the door. He sighed a sigh of yearning for his grandfather. The anguish that swooned his heart over sent him home to sleep.

He awoke during the bleak night to realize his eyes were dampened with tears. They hurt to no accruement. He had never conceptualized that losing someone would be so terrifying. He reckoned that the rest of the day had past while he had dozed. Jack could cry no more. He wished he didn't have to cry: that emotions never existed so. "God! Why do you put me through this?" He sniffed "I never did nothin' wrong! I ain't even _wantin' _ to run this farm!" he lashed out toward the sky after he walked outside.

The angry twenty year old threw his knees into the dirt. Tears crossed his grinding teeth. He grasped the roots of thick uncut grass and pulled them towards his uncovered, sweating chest. His hair swaying gently across his shiny forehead. The boy gave a sigh of relief and closed his eyes as he tilted his head towards the empty sky above. He dropped the grass and shifted his legs to be in front of him. Sitting now with his arms folded over his bent knees, he calmed himself. He almost felt as though God had spoken to him. The tears in his eyes dried. Blue moonlight glaring upon his sweated body, made him look enchanting. Over and over again, he thought of how to make his grandfather proud of him. But he couldn't He took a colourfully quilted blanket from his closet and lied on it outside for the night.

* * *

"Ung...ah!" Jack was awakened to a familiar face. Karen had come to visit him.

"Um...are you okay? Did I come at the wrong time?" she was unsure of what Jack was doing. He stood from his mat he lied on the night before and lifted it up to his neck.

He laughed hesitantly,"No, I just need to um...can you just stay right there out side for a minute. I won't take long, I promise."

With the quilt held to his neck he stepped backwards towards his cabin while staring at Karen as though he was very nervous. Jack had been very remorseful for Karen to see him undressed, asleep, on a blanket, outside. After he dressed in his house, he walked outside to see that she wasn't there anymore. Wondering were she was, he saddled his horse, Rage, left to him by his father. He mounted and left the farm. The chalky dirt arose around the horses tall legs. For about twenty minutes dirt lined the walls of Johnny's mouth.With so much dust and unclean air, he could tell that summer was aproaching.

With the help of a cantine of water, he made it to the vineyard. The roads were brick now, so he didn't have to worry about breathing in too much dust. He rode up to Karen's house and knocked on the door. There was no reply."Karen, it's Jack," He knocked again, still with no reply. "Hello? Is anyone here?" carefully, he opened the door to find Shasha lying still on the floor. Recklessly, he ran to her side to listen to her breath. She was unconscious, though he picked her up with reassurance that she was still breathing. Quickly he ran to the doctor, Hardy...

"Will she be okay?" Jack questioned the concerned look on Hardy's face."I found her lying on the floor."

"She'll be okay," Hardy answered, satisfied that Jack had found her in high time."It looks as though she didn't just fall or slip unexpectedly. I would say that she was made unconscious by a blow to the face." Hardy, looked at Jacks uneasy face. Almost as if he had expected some tragic happening to have occured, he asked," Jack, was anyone else at the house? Karen or Gotz?"

"No, that is what I am worried about. Karen came to visit me this morning, but..." An intense, painful feeling of repugnance filled his heart. He feared of what was to befall Karen, if anything had already happened. "I'm going out to find Karen. She needs to know what's happened to her mother."

"Jack, wait!" Hardy grabbed Jacks shoulder."We need to put together a search party."

Jack agreed, but in his heart he knew that he couldn't linger for a much greater time. That night, Jeff, Cliff, Grey, the Pastor of the Church, Rick, the head carpenter and his carpenters, along with the mayor, all agreed to be part of the search party. But Jack didn't show up.

"Where is Jack?" Grey announced.

"I don't know. He was suppose to be here ten minutes ago." Cliff suggested with a notion that Jack had already left.

"I'll go check his house," Rick blurted out. He saddled his horse and mounted on the top of Stag. Immediately, Cliff understood that Rick had liked Karen for quite some time now. She had three lovers now, but who was the third?

Cliff stood between the doorway and watched as Rick rode to the end of the horizon. He wasn't going to Jacks house. He left to catch up with who ever had messed with Karen.

* * *

**BIG CLIFFE! YEA! sure...**  



	2. Chapter 2

(Yes, I wrote the poem that you will read ahead. If you would like to read more poems email me at stopped suddenly in his tracks. He looked suspiciously around the lush green, large, overgrown jungle of...Moon Mountain. Steadily, he bent behind a bush to keep Kai from seeing him. When Kai's back was turned, Jack waved his arms for Karen to see him. _Please let her see me _Jack hoped deep in his heart filled with love for no one else besides Karen; or maybe he did have love only for another...

_I can't think of a better way to get her out of her without Kai noticing ...except to kill him. _Jack thought. Jack pulled out his brush. He didn't want to hurt Kai. They were good friends. But if Karen was in danger, he would have to do anything within his ability to help her. Jack looked at his wooden weapon. It's not really good for anything except keeping his animals happy. He sneaked behind Kai and bonked him on the head with the brush.

"Karen! Come on," Jack motioned.

Karen was still tied to a tree. So without futher adjournment, Jack took out his handy pair of dull sheep shears. He cut the rope that bound his loved one to a immeasurable pine tree.

Jack stole Kai's horse and pulled Karen up to sit abaft.

"Thankyou," Karen only let that one word escape her mouth.

"No problem." Jack smiled with optimism that Karen might start to like him back."I just wanted to help a friend in need."

Jack and Karen rode through the starry night. Morning sun was under consideration.

"Mmmmm...snore..Zzzzz." Karen realized that Jack was awakening. She had had to take over riding during the night because Jack had become too tired. He rested his head on Karen's shoulder. "Why do I?. Hungtherrrrrrrr."

Karen's brow scrunched together."Are you okay Jack?"

"It's because I ate your cheese..." Jack mumbled creepy things in his sleep.

Karen sighed and slowed the horse to a draw up. As she slid off the horse, Jack's head flopped to one side. Drool hung from his mouth as if he wouldn't quite let it fall.

The time was only 3:15 in the early morning and Karen was tired, hungry, but yet satisfied. It wasn't her stomach that was satisfied: It was her heart. She loved Jack now. Not only for what he did for her but because of who he really was. He never tried very hard to impress her, and he never spoke of his own problems that much, which made it easier for Karen to become closer to him. Nothing could hold back the love from her heart. She had fallen, only to hope Jack would catch her.

Karen smiled gently at Jack as he slowly fell off his saddle. BOOM Luckily he fell in a pile of leaves.(How intriguing). A small breath of laughter left Karens lips. Jack fully awoke and sat up. He blinked as he felt the back of his head and rubbed his hand through his hair in a forward motion. He started to get up when Karen offered him a hand.

"Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Karen chuckled.

Jack looked confused at the horse, then the pile of leaves._That's not a bed..._, he thought.

Karen lead Jack to sit under a red maple tree. The leaves were red as fire. Jack and Karen talked for hours upon hours until the stars no longer shone. Their relationships bonded as they laughed and told of themselves all through the night. _I have to tell her how I feel about us,_ Jack argued in his mind. _This might be my only chance._ He was worried he might choke and begin telling her about once when he was nine, he was helping his grandpa on the farm and found a grub worm... so he ate it. (Nice...) They didn't talk for a while. Jack had a strong urge to tell her something that might burn her very soul. The silence hurt Jack's ears. His head echoed his thoughts over and over. He had to tell her, even if it did hurt. Instead of holding her hand and letting it come easily, Jack asked Karen if she liked to sing. It was blaintly obvious to Karen that Jack was feeling uneasy.

"Yea, I like to sing some. I never thought I was much good at it though," Karen expected Jack to laugh. He didn't laugh; he asked her to sing. At first, she was afraid, but Jack convinced her with his racy eyes and peppy smile.

"Please.. I've never heard you sing before. I want to hear you." Jack articulated with his hands behind his head.

Karen composedly began to sing. She sang so beautifully. Jack's heart teemingly drank in the notes of the song like a butterfly sucking nectar from a daylily. As he layed on the soft blanket, Karen leaned against the tree. When she sang, Jack's ears had no room for ugly sounds: they were filled with happiness. Never had he imagined that any one person could sing so magnificantly. His face put on a smile. Being pleased with the song, he became tired and could barely keep his eyes open. The skies reflection glared off of Jack's eyes and faded as he closed them.

* * *

Karen woke up sweating and breathing heavily. "Jack?" she looked around the forest with confusion spread across her face."Jack, where are you?" The horse was still there, only... Jack wasn't. _He must have left to wash up by the river, _she thought. She stood up and to her surprise. Jack was not too far off. He was swimming in the lake with Ann. Where did Ann come from?

"I knew he couldn't have," Karen whispered to herself."Why did I ever thank him? Why did I ever love him?" She couldn't help herself. She wanted to storm off and ride the horse back to town. Forgetting about Jack wasn't very easy.

Almost as if she felt pushed, she walked closer and closer, hearing Ann's laughter grow louder and louder. Her feet paced with a mind of their own. Karen looked down at her feet; however, her head immediatly moved back up. She was placed behind a tree, then she sat on a rock.

Jack was laughing with Ann, as though last night had never happened. Karen's heart snapped into. Tears rushed from her eyes. Pain shot through her body like a powerful shock. Inside, she felt as though she was shrivled up and nothing could ever make her whole again.

"Ha ha! This is so fun!" Ann squealed as Jack picked her up in the water. She turned and saw Karen sitting alone, on that rock. Karen half expected Ann to come kill her, she had such a mean look upon her face. Karen sunk deeper behind the tree and hid where only she could see Ann and Jack having such a good time together. Her heart sang this poem:

**This strong sence of love **

**I feel in my heart,**

**It's pounding and tugging**

**it's pulling me apart**

**I can't tell the difference **

**between I and Me**

**when I am mezmarized, in his eyes**

**I can't but cry, you see?**

**I fall and trip inside of me**

**my mind is going insane**

**My insides twist, my God I missed**

**the love that just split lame**

**It's not a lovely feeling **

**until I settle my glee**

**when I am mezmarized in his eyes**

**I can't but cry, you see?**

**No, I can't rid myself of this pain**

**This nonsence, his name**

**But in all of this, I can't but miss**

**the love that just split lame**

**If all of the world fell apart**

**and all that was left were I and mine heart**

**I wouldn't die of loneliness, or sadness **

**I would merely become vernal again,**

**because of his depart**

Jack got out of the water and sat along the shoreline.

"What's wrong Jack?" Ann asked intent."I thought you were having fun?"

"I was..I mean, I am.. It's just since Karen left everything..."

"It's been so nice?" Ann remembered Karen sitting remotely on that rock.

_I NEVER LEFT YOU INSOLENT MORON!_ Karen screamed inside her head.

Jack gave a thoughtless smile."Yea, I guess. I mean, no... I --"

"Come on Jack! Let's have some fun!" Ann didn't want Jack to say what he really thought.

"No,.. let's not right now. I want to think a little bit."

"What is there to think about? Nothing but fun and laughter aeh?"

"Well, you see Ann, I think she..."

"Maybe she didn't. I talked to her and I don't think that she ever felt --,"

Jack quickly interupted Ann and stood to where he was looking down at her. "She did!" Jack yelled, but then calmed himself before he started bickering."I know she did," he said as he sat back down on the cool wet sand.

"Jack, we can't bring her back." Ann couldn't bring her back because she didn't want to. She was going to do all she could to keep Jack as hers."She won't come back. It's over..." Ann could really pretend to be sympathetic. Karen still leaned against the tree that hid the tears as they dripped from her rosey cheeks, to the rough bark of the old oak tree.

Jack looked at the sand as if looking into someone else's eyes, thinking very seriously. He needed to tell Ann something he had been wanting to since Karen had left. (Karen left)? "Ann," he paused because he felt shaky and a little rattled inside."Have you ever thought about me? Like, really thought."

"Of course I have." Ann held Jack's hand. He felt comforted because now he had a bonding relationship between himself and Ann. "Do you ever think about me?" Ann responded.

Jack felt woozy and distracted; almost like he had just sucked the life out of a helium balloon. "Well, yea,...I guess."

"Awww, really?" Ann being full of playful alure, reached around Jacks neck and ran her fingers through his hair. "You're so sweet Jack..." Jack felt nervous inside. Chills slid through his spine. Ann asked again,"What do think about,... when you're thinking of me?"

"Well, I kinda..," Jack looked away for a moment."It's not like you think it is..."

"Oh! Jack, you do love me!" Ann sqeezed the life out of Jack. He gasped for breath until Ann finally let go and kissed him. That made it worse. Not only did it make it harder for him to breath, but Karen had left the scene. She couldn't take it any longer. Her broken heart could never be rid of the indention that permanently scared her heart.

The moment Karen lost site of the two --

* * *

Karen woke up sweating and breathing heavily. "Jack?" she looked around the forest with confusion spread across her face."Jack, are you here?"

"Yea, just one sec. I was washing my face." Jack came from behind a tree wiping his face with his shirt. "What do you want?"

Karen gazed into Jack's dazzling eyes, realizing that it was only a dream. "Nothing, I just wanted to make sure you didn't leave me." Jack looked at Karen addled.

"Leave you?" he also noticed that Karen was sweating."Why do you look so shook up?" Jack started towards her."I better help you onto that horse. I don't want you trippin' or anything. Is that alright with you?" Jack smiled again. There was nothing to take that smile off of his face when Karen was around.

"I'm okay, I can probably pull it off." she intonated. "But you can carry me anyways if you don't mind. My leg _is_ a little cramped." she put her hand on her leg and looked up at Jack. Of course, he smiled and said nothing: just smiled. Jack picked her up as her arm went around his neck. Karen had always dreamed of a man like Jack, ever since she and her father started having arguements all the time, a few years back. She wanted to leave her home and be free, not bound to some rundown grape garden.

They started their short ride to town, it would only take a few hours. Or would it be as short as they thought?

The sun was blazing so torridly down on Jack and Karen, that Jack's back was dank with the moistened air. Karens hair stuck to her neck. She continuously had to move it away from her face when Jack's hair dripped unstoppingly. Finally, he suggested that he lead the horse while Karen rode. It was too hot for any two people to sit next to eachother and not become on edge. Jack trugged along, every once in a while, stopping to rest. He continued on though, knowing that Karen's family would want to see her as soon as possible.

He couldn't bare the heat much longer. Jack stumbled and let go of the rope that led the horse. He almost coudn't catch himself before his face collided with the dirt.

"Jack!" Karen screamed. In her mind, she thought Jack had died. He didn't die; only passed out. The dust around Jack upheaved into Karen's face as she slid off of the horse. "Jack, are you alright? Oh my gosh, help. Help!" Her mind boggled as tears ran down her dirtied face. She didn't know what to do, until she turned around after lifting herself from the ground and came face to face with Kai. He had followed them. He stood there gathering hate and feeling avenged. Revenge was to come, and not to Karen. Kai shoved Karen out of the way, and stomped towards Jack. He picked him up by the collar of his shirt and spit in his face. Jack groaned and turned his head. Kai gave Jack an upper cut to the eye. Again, Jack groaned as sweat drinched his hair. "Karen..." he dryly said through his unmoistened lips. But then again, Kai threw him to the ground then kicked his stomache.

"Kai! Stop!" Karen screamed for mercy on Jack as she through her knees to the rocky ground. Kai only laughed and muttered some curse words to her. Karen didn't know what to do. She couldn't take on Kai all by herself. Jack meant so much to her. Only... she couldn't help him this time. Her body shook and her teeth began to chatter. Her body throbbed with agony.

Kai just picked Jack up by the collar again, only to strike his lip and cause blood to trickle down his chin. He began to lift his arm back to punish Jack one more time when someones hand grabbed his arm. Thinking it was Karen, he tried to throw it off. The hand held fast. Kai turned around, and to his bombshell, the hand was Rick's. Kai dropped Jack as Karen rushed to attend Jack's side. Kai was ready to knock Rick's lights out, but Rick nervously pulled his own fist back and propeled it forwards until it met head-on with Kai's eye. THUD Kai fell backwards and hit the ground. Rick had saved Jack and Karen but he didn't realize it until he opened his eyes. Then, Rick caugt up with himself and helped pick Jack's feeble body up to put it on the horse.

"Hey, Karen, Jack." He noticed."I came as soon as I heard you were gone Karen. I guess I made it quick enought huh Jack?"

"I guess he can't talk right now." Karen answered for him, because his upper and lower lip were swollen. The extravagant pain that pulsed through Jack's body was unbearable. He had a broken rib from where Kai kicked him, a black eye, and a swollen lip. His face bled from the impact that Kai's large fist had.

"Karen, I need to ask you something," Rick started.

"Can you ask me when I get home? I'd rather talk there," Karen was very concerned about Jack. His condition would need a doctor. But Rick agreed as he led the horse into the dawning of the day.

* * *

**No cliffe this time, I wrote this story a while back, and it is really not very good. I used to many big words to make it sound good, but the thing is... it doesn't...**


	3. Chapter 3

After the three arrived in Flower Bud Village, Jack was taken to the hospital while Karen spoke to Rick in private, in the back room of the hospital.

"Rick, I can't explain this to you, but I can't feel the same about you as you do me," Karen inerlaced her fingers around themselves.The room, as well as the conversation, made Karen feel nervous. "I can't live my life with you knowing that I love someone else. I'm sorry, you'll have to understand, please..." Rick looked into Karen's eyes. He understood what she meant. She couldn't live her live with him if she loved someone else. It would never work out the way he thought it would. Karen loved Jack and there was nothing to stop that.

"I understand Karen.You're dumbing me for some city slicker that doesn't know how to fight?" Rick argued until Karen decided to knock his lights out. OOF he hit the floor.

"Thank you for being so considerate," Karen spoke those two words and let a sarcastic grin appear upon her gloomy face.

* * *

Jack awoke to hear the sound of a loud and emphatic car motor. Cars usually don't come to Flower Bud Village, especially during this time of year. When he got out of bed, he felt nausiated and indisposed. He stumbled around the spinning room to the window to realize that he was in Dr.Hardy's office. Grabbing hold of the window pane, he saw someone he'd seen before. His dad was standing beside a car, talking to Dr.Hardy. Why was his dad here? 

A quick ailing pain came over Jack's upper body. He remembered his fight with Kai. The doctor must have given him some kind of shot to make him feel this bad. Jack grabbed his side and groused as he went back to the bed to lie there until Karen came through the back room going towards the door hoping Jack wouldn't see her.

"Karen," Jack strained. "Why is my dad here? What's going on?"

Karen stopped and stared at the floor. Her eyes began to swell."Jack,...your dad has come to take you home. He doesn't think you can run the farm in this condition and says that you haven't done much anyways," she looked up at Jack with her eyes full of empathy. "I don't want you to go, but he's right: this isn't the best place for you to be. There are better oportunities for you in the city, and--"

"Karen, please come here. We need to talk." he said weakly but strong enough yet. Karen pulled up a stool and sat on it as she angled her head towards the ground with her hair partially infront of her eyes, hiding the tears. "Karen, I know you don't want to hear this. I might be the one for your sadness, but you need to hear me. Will you?"

"Jack, I don't want to create any walls between us. This isn't--" she stopped her sentence being disturbed. Karen moved the hair away from her eyes, behind her ears and Jack smiled at her glowing emerald eyes. When he looked at them, he lost himself in another world. Gladly Karen let Jack hold her hand as Jack lied on the comfortable bed that the doctor had set up for him.

"Karen, I want to tell you something," Jack said. Karen was ready for all of hell to drop upon her. Her secret love for him lasted a lifetime, but would her love change into a known love? Karen only prayed that Jack might love her the same way. She was too afraid to let it be known. Jack wasn't. He started his speech; or more like a death bomb to Karen. All was too confusing for even the both of them to understand. "I--" his throat closed and his speech crashed when his dad walked into the room. Karen walked out of the room trying not to let Jack see her tears. He couldn't help but notice them. The misery and discouragement in his eyes as he sat up in bed showed great downturn in his spirit.

"Hi son!" his dad sounded so intent on seeing him and escorting him home."It's been almost two months now hasn't it?" he walked over to give Jack a hug." Jack smiled and didn't even try to give his dad a welcome or a hello. But even still, Jack's dad hugged him and rubbed his head like he was still ten years old. Was this his dad's way of grieving for Jack's grandpa?

"Hey Dad," he said still gripping his side from the pressure that his dad put on his broken ribs when he hugged him."Where did Karen go?"

"Karen?" his dad said confused about the whole situation.

"She went towards Moonmountain," Dr.Hardy complied thinking Jack's dad a complete moron.

Jack hurried to put his shirt on and started to pull his boots onto his feet when he looked up to see Dr.Hardy gasp for breath and fall to the ground. Jack dropped his boot. Dr.Hardy had died from a shocking heart attack.

"Dr. Hardy!"He hesitated for a split second."Dad, call the Dr!" Jack rushed to the Dr.s side. "Son, this is the doctor!" his dad yelled."I'll be right back. You stay here." he pointed at Jack.

"Dad! Atleast let me outa here! I don't want to let Karen out of my site. Move!" Jack's dad wouldn't let him run out of the door, but relentlessly held him back. He couldn't do anything to fight back with his broken rib when it pinched the left side of his torso. Black pains hit sharply and a white flash ran before Jack's eyes. He groaned and staggered towards the door once more, "Dad, let me outside. I can walk." The argueing was useless. Jeff and Gotz were around, so they covered the Dr.'s body and carried it away.

"Jack, I can't let you go out with you in this condition. Besides, we need to talk."

"Karen already told me." Jack said disapointed as he went to sit on a stool."Dad," he said hesitantly."I can't go back. This farm, this town, this very piece of land means so much."

"Jack,...you can't _really_ be inlove with this place can you?" his dad laughed. Jack laughed a breath thorugh his nose, then fiddled his thumbs and stared at the wooded floors as though something were really wrong. "Jack, you know I want the best for you and --"

"Dad!" Jack looked up and threw his hands up in the air."I'm not your little kid anymore! I've already got my own house, my own farm,"he motioned towards those landmarks and looked in the same direction" and I don't take orders from anyone anymore!" his eyes full of hate and rage, he stood up and walked into the next room."And I'm not leaving!" he shouted through the shut door.

Jack's dad sighed. He didn't feel as though he had been a good father. A feeling of discomfort swept over his body. It was one of those feelings that one gets when one wished they would have said something different in the situation he or she was in. Almost embarrassed to see his son, he opened the door to see Jack crying in his chair. Jack quickly wiped his tears and looked out the window to keep his dad from seeing him."Son...I know you love this place, but you can't make it on your own out here. You are too hurt to work. And you have to--"

"Shut up."Jack said sternly and pointed in his dad's face. "I don't care if you think I can't make it. This house is mine. This land is mine." he started to a whisper now."But I'm not yours anymore." his head turned to gaze into the hot grassy hills filled with all he ever dreamt of.

"Alright...If you really feel this way about _me_." he tried to use his sympathy to call Jack back home. It worked. After hours of arguing and moments of disagreement Jack agreed to come with his father, thinking Karen might come with him.

After about three weeks, his rib healed and he was now ready to make it back home.

* * *

Jack's eyes were lost in the distance. The hills he would never see again were trapped in his heart forever. The sunset that would once again be hidden behind tall buildings and smokey skies and the farm he once dreamed would be revived again, slipped away from his grasp. No longer would the soothing freshness of the rivers and cool sand run through his fingers again. No longer would the birds chirp for his admaration. But life would go on in the city; where he belonged. 

"--give Betsy too much good fodder. She'll get sick." Mr.Smith finished telling Ann's dad about taking care of the animals

"Alright. It was good to see you Mr.Smith" Hall said his goodbye.(Mr.Smith is Jack's dad)

Jack had been soaking in the very air he breathed just to remember the place by; not paying attention to his surroundings. The town was old; too old for Jack. He was meant for the newer generation. But still in his mind, he thought of Karen. She had ignored him for this past three weeks, thinking that he wouldn't exept her. Jacks love for her lasoed his heart and stopped it. "Dad, can I get back to you in a minute. I won't take long, I promise."

"Alright." Mr.Smith yelled to Jack as he ran down the road holding his hat. "But the ferry will be leaving soon!"

Jack ignored every word of it. His mind was dedicated to thoughts about Karen. Only Karen. As he held his old brown rimmed hat, he stopped at the door to the Vineyard. He knocked with the anticipation of seeing Karen one last time, and telling her that he loved her. Again he hoped she might come with him to the city. Waiting for a reply he looked around the yard and glanced at flowers and a small garden planted nearby.

"Yes." Gotz opened the door. "Oh, its you. BELCH You here to see Karen?"

Jack scratched his stubbly beard in an attempt to cover his mouth from breathing in Gotz's bodily function.

"Yea," Jack smiled.

"Sorry kid, she's left,"

"Well, do you know where I can find her?" Jack shot a worried look towards Gotz.

"I think...I think...hmmmm..." Gotz thought patiently as Jack popped his knuckles and stepped from one foot to the other very nervously. "I think...I think...she went to the beach I think."

"Okay. Thanks." Jack wondered how Karen could live with such a slow father."

He ran with furor and a feeling of buoyancy. _Karen_ he thought. The word ran through his mind ever so softly. Thinking so passionately of Karen, Jack forgot about running. When he felt his shoes shatter into the sand, he stopped. Now realizing he was at the beach, he looked around to find Karen boarding a ship. "Karen!" he darted through crowds of people and little kids eating icecream. He jumped over luggage and piles of carry-ons. Finally, he made it to the gate. It was shut. He tried to get through without a ticket just to say goodbye one last time. The security guard held him back as Jack viewed the boat that carried away his only love. He watched the boat go on as Karen leaned against the railing staring back at the beach. His hands gripped the bars of the gate as he shut his eyes and layed his head against the cold green shaded metal bars. A fumbling sigh left his breath. "She could have atleast told me." Jack spoke aloud to himself. He had to leave now. The thought that he could never say goodbye peirced his soul and knowing that he could never tell her he loved her broke him even more. He didn't feel like he was strong enough to go on. He felt crippled and defeated as wavering thoughts told him to go. Nothing was left for him here. His only hope was gone; now he felt worthless and divided. So he wondered around the beach until his father came upon him one hour later.

"Grab your bags son. The steamboat is leaving now." Mr.Smith said concerned about Jack's sudden plunge in spirits."Let's go," he said once more motioning Jack to pick up his own bags. He did so slowly. He slipped his hand through the handle of his suit case and boarded the boat hoping to forget Karen and all that reminded him of her. After he sat the suitcase down, he leaned against the rails and looked at the beach of Flower Bud Village for one last time. Darkness and sorrow flushed his heart. The thoughts of Karen killed his spirit and now only the thoughts of dispair and anguish came to his mind. The deepest feelings of his heart abandoned him. Almost as if you could see it, the colours of his life flew away. A sick feeling came about his body and inflicted pain beyond all thoughts.

* * *

"Jack. Jack get up," Mr.Smith shook Jack's shoulder."It's 7:25 in the morning and we're almost there." 

Jack arose and rubbed his face. "Were are we?"

"We are two miles from the coast. Looks like you fell asleep on those boxes." Mr.Smith let out a breath of laughter."I took your bags and set them in the room so no one could steal them. You might want to get up and dress yourself. It won't take long before the harbor comes into view. See you in about five or so minutes."

As Jack tried to lift himself from the boxes he heard a snap. The crate broke and his hand went through a bushel of over-riped peaches. He wiped the goo off on his pants as he walked to his room.

Ten minutes later the steamboat arrived in Smallville City. The sun shone eagerly through the spaces in among the buildings. Jack remembered his old life here. It had only been five months, but still he resented ever leaving this place and starting his life in the country. Now he had gained and lost something that meant the most to him.

Karen never left his mind. Day and night he grieved for the one he never had the chance to kiss goodbye. Watching her leave was worse than never knowing, because he could have done something about it. That thought also bewitched his mind: never leaving; never forgetting to haunt him. During the day, he was sorrowful: he hated himself for not telling Karen what he thought about her. Anger and fear flowed through his veins. During the night, grudges masticated his soul through nightmares and gnawed at his heart. No one person could discribe how grievously sad Jack was.

He never could get over the hurtful thoughts of Karen. He missed her so much.

* * *

Jack lived his life in the city for six years, still with the nightmares haunting him. Even though he might never see her again, Jack thought about her ever so often. Other girls walked into his life after he moved from Smallville City to Greatwhite Town. He had met a girl by the name of Katy. She was fair skinned and dazzlingly beautiful. Auburn hair hung infront of her and any clothes she wore looked good on her. Her parents were very wealthy and owned a the business that Jack worked for. She still didn't help to take away the pain that was killing Jacks soul. 

After Jack had clocked out and left work, he stopped at the jewelry store. Buying a gift for Kate wasn't very hard. She would take anything that sparkled or shined.

"Excuse me, may I help you?" the store clerk smiled.

He gave a strange but yet captivating look,"Yes, Uh. What about some,..eh, bracelets or a ring." He nodded.

The clerks eyes slightly widened and her mouth gave a quaint grin, as she turned to pick up the key to the glass case behind her desk. "Here you are", she gave him a selection of rings and bracelets. She changed her expression to curious."Are you new around here? I've never seen you before."

"Well, yea. I just moved from Smallville City, th--... Popuri?" Jack's eyes widened considerably larger.

"Jack? I can't believe I am seeing you here! Jack it's been so long since I've seen you!" Popuri loped over the desk and put her arms around him. In response, Jack gave a hesitant hug, but he quickly pulled her away and asked," Have you seen or heard from Karen? Please tell me you have."

Popuri's head drooped,"Jack..." she said almost breathless."I...I didn't want to have to tell you this, but..."

"Please, tell me. I would do anything to hear about Karen: _any _news." he tried to look into her eyes.

"Jack..." tears stopped up her eyes."This news isn't what you want to hear, but I must tell you. This wasn't meant--"

"Popuri! Just comeout and tell me!" Jack said as he looked around the room.

"Karen is at the hospital and I--." Jack's glad expression sent Popuri's spirits to the depths. She let tears fall from her face. Karen was deathly ill and Jack didn't know.He let go of her shoulders. The words he had recieved from Popuri's mouth lifted what was left of his muninated soul. "Do..do you know where she is. Do you know which hospital?" he smiled.

"At the Twilight Hospital, you can find her. I don't know what room, but ..." Popuri's voice faded as Jack incautiously ran out the door. _Karen couldn't be_ that _sick. _He thought. Nothing could have been worse than not knowing what he was about to see.

Jack didn't stop to get in his car. He kept running; mile after mile. He loved Karen. Nothing could stop him from doing that. Finally he arrived at the hospital, heavily breathing. He looked around the lobby until...

"Excuse me, may I help you?" the hospital secretary asked.

He gave a disturbing look.,"Yes, Uh. Do you know where I can find Karen Goode?"

(again, I made that last name up).

The clerks eyes slightly widened and her gum chewing mouth gave a quaint grin, as she turned to pick up the name and room chart behind her desk. "Here you are. Find her name and you find her room number. Are you a family member or...", she gave him a curious look."You are new around here aren't you? I've never seen you before."

"Well, yea. I use to live over in Meager City, I ju--... Ellie?" Jack's eyes widened genuinely larger.

"Jack? I can't believe I am seeing you here! Jack it's been so long since I've seen you!" Ellie loped over the desk and put her arms around him. In reply, Jack hugged her tightly, but he quickly dismissed her away and rushed through the halls to the elevator. Jack pressed the number three -that was the floor Karen was on. The doors opened and Jack looked to the left then right and dashed down towards the left to room 3-301D. As he started to open the door, a nurse that had just turned the corner saw Jack and yelled,"Hey, you. Are you related to this person or are you a friend or what? You can't just go in, you have to have permission."

"I haven't seen her in six years and someone tells me she is sick. I've got to see her."

"Sorry. If you aren't a relative or a close friend, you can't go in without permission."

"Well, lady I gotta go in. I love this woman. You can't stop me." Jack burst open the door. His racing heart stopped. Black chills sent his body into a cold sweat, then he closed his eyes. The nurse shut the door behind Jack knowing she couldn't stop this guy from going in and left him to see Karen all by his lonesome. He walked to the side of her bed without haste. Still trying not to look at her, he kneeled beside her and covered his face. Breathing nervously, his eyes began to throb. He didn't want to let the tears slip. He never wanted anything to slip away again. He had lost his animals, his ranch, his mother, and now this beautiful creature that lay still beside him. Karen was so bedridden and sickly looking that Jacks throat closed up. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't talk, he couldn't speak. His hands jerked uncontrolably. Then he heard a breath that wasn't his own. Karen began to wake up. Jack kneeled beside Karen's bed and leaned closer to her as he put his hand on her forehead to remove the hair from her face. She groaned slightly and twisted her head where her face was towards Jack.

Jack smiled for the first time in six years, when he saw Karen's eyes open. The tears came along with small breaths of laughter and joy.

"Jack..." Karen spoke with a rough sick voice."...you _did _come to see me. I knew you would find me," Even though she was so sick, she smiled. Her face was a weak yellow and her emerald eyes that once held life and gladness showed deep pain.

"Karen," Jack took a long breath."I came to tell you something I've been wanting to for a really long time. I feel stupid for not telling you back at the farm. I know you want to talk but I have to tell you this."

"Jack," coughed under her hoarse words."I don't want you to tell me anything. Because I already know you love me. I realized that after every time I saw you smile at me, and when I saw you come look for me at the docks of Flower Bud Village. I couldn't stay there. Everything in that town reminds me of you. And you leaving me there all alone tore me apart. I couldn't belive myself when I saw the beach shrink smaller into the distance, and to know that I was the one moving. Jack, there is no time to lose, I have to tell you this. I should have told you this already. I love you and nothing can stop that. And the love that you give to someone else... can never be stopped. Not even the loss of that someone you loved greatly."

Jack caught himself crying during Karens words. He breathed through sobs of longing and regret. "Karen...no one but I know how much I love you. From the moment I set eyes on you... twenty years ago, when I first heard you singing and the soft wind blew through your wavy hair, I fell deeply in love with a little girl I hardly knew. I've left you twice. You are the most forgiving, heavenly, thoughtful person I've ever met, and i'm not going to lose you," his voice cracked up as he continued."My concience has tortured my mind and soul because I knew I could have made it to that leaving boat that you took. I should have never listened to my dad and left Flower Bud, and I never would have put you through this waiting and ... I...I can't believe I'm even here...with you...now," Jack smiled as the tears again. He said nothing, only smiled.

"Jack, I know you. You couldn't have hated yourself. You..."Karen breathed wispy and weak."Jack...you would never have hated something that I loved would you?" Jack face _was _sadness.

"Karen. I can't let you go. Please come back." a drop of a clear salty liquid washed away irritants from his face.

"Goodbye my dear, sweet Jack. I will love you forever," Karen spoke.

Jack looked into Karen's eyes. He loved her with an unconditional love as she loved him. It was the same all around, any way you looked at it. It was never changing and never stopping. The limits went on past the sky, past the universe and the world's ending. It was complete. Complete now, as he watched Karens body lie still, and felt her spirit leave the room to become united with an everlasting paradise.

Karen got up and looked out the window of the hospital. She saw green hills, and shining waters. Eagles soared through the clouds and deer galloped in the woods. She was no longer aware of the cities surroundings.

Jack smiled with sorrow at Karens closed eyes and ran his hand through her hair that smoothly layed over her shoulders. Jack walked to the window and blankly stared into the grassy hills that Karen now walked. The birds landed near the window and flutterd their wings. Jack pivoted around and stepped towards the door and opened it slowly. The hall he had entered in vanished. Only rivers, and farmland covered the open area. As he walked out he awoke from his daze and realized he was back home. When he turned around, his cabin was exactly where it had been only six years before. He barely remembered coming back home and settling down again. The farm was where he really belonged; peaceful and reminding. Reminding him of Karen and his last goodbye.

* * *

**Ah, I need to get rid of this story as soon as possible... OH SEY YES! POWER! WASA DOOLA! I feel the power of hyperness coming on! I am going to write some really random one shots about some random movies and such, so be prepared!**  



End file.
